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That's too bad if you have a lot of US customers, as I said you might consider selling some yourself. However, maybe you still can? Just display a note with the urushi that this product cannot be shipped to the US.

Hyper Cafe has urushi, but I'd go with Cashew lacquer. Urushi is known to cause severe allergic reactions after a few uses, while cashew does not and works just as well. All my Jnats are cashew lacquered, and from what I have seen in Japan this is widely used. Urushi needs certain temperature and humidity conditions to dry correctly (and it takes a few days), or at least that is what the instructions I have seen stated.

As for the question about going over old lacquer. I don't know why you would want to do this? Is the old lacquer chipped, or are you just wanting to redo it in a more traditional way?

Thanks for your suggestions, Chef N - yeah, I was thinking I'd have to take sandpaper to it as well as perhaps try and dissolve it a bit somehow. Why? I just like the look of urushi or some kind of solid lacquer on stones. It also appears to offer more support to the stones over the years (can have a thicker, softer appearance). I've also got a couple of stones I've bought that, while very good (and pricey), haven't been finished well with lacquer (swarf stains on the sides) and so I figure they'd look a lot better to me after some treatment. And overall, I just think it'd be cool to try.

Thanks Mainaman - I haven't been too worried about allergic reactions, but I'll also consider the cashew. From what I can tell it looks the same when finished, while the urushi smells nicer ... or at least not like lacquer.

Thanks Mainaman - I haven't been too worried about allergic reactions, but I'll also consider the cashew. From what I can tell it looks the same when finished, while the urushi smells nicer ... or at least not like lacquer.

They are SEVERE allergic reactions, like Poison Ivy type of allergic reactions, consider that for a moment. Cashew is the best in my book, the cans you get from hyper cafe, are enough for many stones, if you thin the content.

But really I wonder why urushi would have been used for generations if it is so toxic. Seems it is generally so mostly when it hasn't dried. Guess I'll find out.

(Incidentally, I'm immune to poison ivy and apparently there is a connection.)

In the mean time, yes, I'll be looking into cashew too.

It is only bad when you apply, after it is dry it is no longer causing problems.
My guess as to why it was used for generations is that it was the only thing available that was good enough to do the job. Cashew is fairly new stuff that is chemically derived from urushi (I believe) that has no adverse effects.

Can you still find there web sight? I think they went out of Business?

Originally Posted by maxim

I read that cashew can be as poisons as urushi :P Thats why it is on restriction list too

How about "flake white" paint, that's still easy to get and lead based paint are pretty toxic

two stage urethane paints will give you bigger problems then poison ivy

There are more "art Supplies" then you can think of that can kill you, don't drink turpentine!

As to why urushi was/is still being used. Remember it's primary use is not to protect polishing stones it's used in a highly Specialized art form. An important component of the Japanese art of lacquerwork is the special technique known as "urushi", which uses many layers of wafer-thin, semi-transparent lacquer to create a surface of almost mystical radiance and depth. Many different things have been invented/ used to try and recreate the look and effect of Japanese lacquer work, including cashew, japanning, and even modern day urethane "candy coat" pants, when they paint a car that say they are " spraying lacquer" but in all Actuality it's urethane.